


Behind the Facade

by HeidiBug731



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Complete, Counseling, F/M, Falling In Love, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Romance, Season/Series 02, backdated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-17
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-04 13:37:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3070202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeidiBug731/pseuds/HeidiBug731
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina is trying hard to change for Henry, but she knows she can't do it alone. Dr. Hopper quickly becomes her lifeline and the only person she can trust to believe in her. But is there something more growing between them? And can she prevent all her hard work from slipping through her fingers when her mother arrives in town? Takes place during and features events from Season 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> After learning Regina/Archie was a romance the writers had considered blossoming through therapy sessions during Season 2 but then (for whatever reasons) abandoned, I decided I wanted to give it a try myself. Join me as we explore this unusual but apparently not so unlikely pairing. Here's to what might have happened.

"I used magic," she said, her voice breaking at the end.

Archie felt two things: dread at what she was about to tell him, and sympathy for the woman standing before him. She looked like her heart was breaking, and he couldn't help his own heart for going out to hers.

"Okay," he said, extending a hand to her. "Why don't you come inside and tell me what happened."

He left out a breath of nervous air as she sat down on the couch and he gestured for her to start.

She told him of her previous experience with Dr. Whale in the Enchanted Forest and how today he had succeeded in bringing Daniel, her former lover, back to life. But it hadn't been Daniel, not the way she had remembered him. He had come back dark and twisted, turned into some kind of monster. She described the scene as she and David had gone to the stables to rescue Henry and how she had been forced to reverse the preservation spell on Daniel's body to stop him from hurting anyone. He'd been reduced to a pile of ash by her hand.

She was sobbing by the end of it, and he hesitantly placed a hand on her arm in an attempt to offer some form of comfort. It wasn't exactly standard doctor-patient protocol, and with Regina's tendency for flair ups, it wasn't the safest gesture to make. But he couldn't stand to see her cry while he sat there and did nothing.

"Well, are you not going to say anything?" she asked eventually, drawing her hands from her face to wipe at her eyes.

He sat back in his chair, searching for words. He wasn't sure where to start. Her story had been unlike anything he had expected.

"That's - that's good, Regina."

"Good?" she asked, still trying to control her tears. "My pain is good?"

"No, no," he said, trying to amend his offense. "Pain is just a natural part of letting go of someone we love." He reached behind him to grab a box of tissues off his desk. "What you did was good," he told her as he handed her the box. "We have to let go of our past in order to move forward."

"He said I should love again," she told him, wiping at her eyes with the tissue.

"And you should," he told her honestly. "You deserve to be loved every bit as much as anyone else."

She looked up at him, her face tear stained but otherwise dry. The used tissue was clutched in her hand. "I'm sure most people in this town feel I deserve a lot less."

"I misspoke," he said. "Love isn't something that is deserved - love can never be earned. It can only be received. And it's a gift I believe everyone should have."

"Even someone like me?" she asked, staring at the floor.

"You aren't inherently evil, Regina," he told her. "You love your son. You've loved Daniel for all this time. And you are trying to change. That all comes from someplace good."

She took a shuddering breath. "I like to think I can do this," she said. "That I can put forth the effort and change. But most of the time I just feel like … I can't." She looked up at him. "You seem like the only person in this town who believes in me."

He smiled softly at her.

"Why don't you just throw up your hands like the rest of them?" she asked.

He looked at her as she sat there on the couch. Her body was slumped forward, her forearms resting in her lap as she crumpled and uncrumpled the tissue in her hands. He couldn't help but admit to himself what a beautiful sight her face was. All the sternness of the Evil Queen had melted away. There was a gentleness in her eyes. Underneath the façade he had seen her wear day after day, he found there was another, kinder woman wanting to come through. It was a rare sight, this other Regina, but he longed to see more of her.

"Because I don't see the Evil Queen before me," he told her. "I see a woman who just wants to be noticed and loved. And I believe she should be given a chance."

She laughed. "I guess you would say something like that."

"Do you not believe you deserve a another chance?"

She sighed and rubbed her knees. "I used magic," she said. "I broke my promise to Henry."

"Regina, you did what you did to stop Daniel from hurting anyone," he said. "There was no other way to defuse the situation. You used your magic to help. I doubt Henry could blame you for that."

She fiddled with the tissue. "Maybe." It seemed as though she didn't have any trust in herself.

He learned toward her. "If we're going to continue these visits, then you are going to have to trust me."

"Why?" she asked, lifting her head.

"Because when I say that you can get through this, that there is good in you, that Henry will forgive you, that I can help you … you need to trust that I know what I'm saying and that I just might be right. Otherwise, all this is for not."

She sat silently for a moment, thinking it all over. "I can try," she said at last.

"And you can't walk out like you did earlier," he said. "You're going to have to face things about your past, about yourself, about the people around you that you are not going to want to face. When things get hard I need you to stay and work through it with me. Because I'm here to help you."

"I'll try," she said again.

"And before we go any further," he continued. "You need to want to go through with this. Not because you want Henry back - because then you are only looking for an outcome. You need to want to truly change because you believe you can be and want to be a better person. That's the only way change is going to happen, the only way you are going to fight for it."

She opened her mouth to respond but he held up a finger to stop her. "Think about it before you answer."

She closed her lips and stared ahead of her, not really looking at anything. "I want to be happy," she said at last.

"And are you happy as the person you are now?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Do you believe you can be happy if you changed?"

She thought again. "There is a woman I used to be," she told him. "One that I buried a long time ago when I had my happy ending taken from me."

"But were you happy before?" he asked.

"Yes," she breathed, a single tear rolling down her face.

"And do you want to be happy again?"

"Yes."

He studied her face. There was determination in her eyes mingled with the pain. And he knew that, for now at least, she would work with him. "Okay," he told her. "Then let's get started."


	2. Chapter 2

Regina opened the small black notebook Dr. Hopper had given her. He'd called it a "thought diary," and he'd told her to use it to record any moment when she wanted to use magic. It was supposed to reveal to her other ways to handle the situation.

She thought the exercise to be ridiculous, but she had promised him and herself and Henry that she would try. And so, with a heavy sigh, she dedicated herself to doing so.

She ran her hand over the page where he had drawn lines in three columns. In the first one, she was to record just the details of the situation. The second column was where she wrote her feelings, and the third was where she wrote her beliefs or thoughts. On the back of the page, he'd lined three more columns. If she was feeling energetic, she could also consider the feelings and beliefs of the other people in the situation and then other possible solutions to the problem.

He'd asked her to start by considering events that had happened since the curse broke. So she thought of that moment when Emma kissed Henry and everything had fallen apart. She'd gone home and cried for everything she'd lost. And then she'd seen that purple cloud, and she'd felt invigorated. She'd known magic was coming, and she was going to find some way to use it to get Henry back.

She flattened out the notebook. Under "situation" she wrote "the curse breaking." Under "feelings" she wrote "defeated, alone, and hopeless." Under "beliefs" she wrote "I lost everything." She thought about it for a moment and decided "everything" needed to be clarified and wrote "happiness, Henry, respect, control." She flipped to the back of the page to the other columns but decided she didn't want to consider other people's feelings at the moment.

She went back to first page and thought of that moment when everyone in town had come to her doorstep. She'd wanted to show them her power, that she hadn't lost everything she'd worked so hard for. She wrote "hopeful, powerful, in control" and under beliefs she put "I could have everything."

But she hadn't gotten her magic back, and she'd been put in jail for everyone's protection (and her own, supposedly). And then Gold had appeared to curse her, to summon a wraith to take her soul. She and the Charmings made plans to send the wraith to another realm. She wrote "scared" and "that I would lose my soul."

They'd gotten Jefferson's hat to work and the wraith was sucked into the portal, but Mary Margaret and Emma had fallen into it as well. Charming had been left behind, and Regina had pinned him against the wall with her renewed power. She wrote "powerful" and "killing him would solve my problems." And then she clarified. "I could have Henry, and happiness, and the family I had sought to destroy would finally be gone."

But then Henry had appeared and had called her evil. He'd asked her to prove that she loved him. Regina flipped the page in the diary over to the back. Under "other people's feelings" she wrote "Henry - scared" and under "other people's beliefs" she wrote "I am the evil queen, I would kill someone he cares about, I do not love him." And under "other solutions" she wrote "let David and Henry go home together."

She marveled that she had completed all six columns. At first, she'd thought this was just a silly, pointless exercise. She'd never thought she'd actually be able to look at it and see some sort of progression. But now she could see that she had made the decision to do something different, something other than using magic. If she could make the decision to be better once, she could make it again. And that was a comforting thought. Somehow, it made her struggle seem a little less difficult.

She flipped back to the front of the page. She'd gone to Gold to get her mother's spell book. She'd needed magic to get back Henry. She'd felt lost. She'd needed her son. She'd believed having her son back would fix everything.

She'd walked into the meeting hall to force everyone to give Henry to her. She remembered Dr. Hopper stepping forward, asking her to think about what she was doing. She'd called him a bug and blasted him back from her. She felt bad about that now.

But she wrote that moment in the diary as well. She'd thought Dr. Hopper had been trying to keep Henry from her, that he had wanted to hurt her like everyone else. On the back page, she wrote that he'd believed he was helping her and stopping her from doing something she might regret. The alternative to blasting him would have been to listen to what he'd had to say.

What would he have said? She wondered. She doubted he would have been able to convince her to walk out without Henry, but she wondered what his words would have been. She had left the column under "feelings" blank because she honestly couldn't decide what he must have been feeling as he stepped up to her. He couldn't have been afraid. Hopeful, maybe. But had he really expected she'd listen? Or had he simply done what he'd thought to be right without thinking or feeling anything at all until she'd hit him and he'd crashed to the ground?

She pondered that for a while before moving on with her thoughts. She had taken Henry, but she'd used magic to stop him from escaping. She recognized that even then she'd been afraid she wouldn't be able to keep him, that he didn't actually want her. She wrote "alone" under the "feelings" section and "Henry doesn't love me or need me" under "beliefs."

But Henry had been scared too, afraid of her and what she might do to the town and afraid of who he might turn into if he learned magic from her. Under Henry's beliefs, she wrote "magic is evil." And why wouldn't he feel that way? What good examples of magic had he seen? The solution to the problem had been to let him go home with David. But that still hadn't fixed everything. She still needed to prove to him that she could be good, that she wouldn't hurt him or the people he loved, that she did in fact love him as much as she hoped he loved her.

And that pretty much brought everything up to date, right before she'd gone to Dr. Hopper for help and before Daniel came back to life and she'd been forced to use magic to stop him.

Regina leaned back from the book with a heavy sigh, feeling emotionally drained. She thought she might reward herself with a red-apple Margareta for her efforts. And yet, as she closed the notebook and slipped it into her purse, she thought Dr. Hopper would be proud of her for completing it. And that was something.


	3. Chapter 3

Archie skimmed over Regina's diary entries as she handed him the book. "This is great, Regina," he told her. He had truly doubted she would do the exercise at all, and now he saw she had completed it beyond what he had asked. "This is really great."

"Thank you," she said, sounding rather pleased with herself as she took a seat.

Archie took a few minutes to study what she had recorded. He noticed she'd written about the incident when she had blasted him with magic. The fact that it had been memorable enough for her to record made him smile. But there were more important things for him to draw his attention to.

"I see you have a lot of negative emotions listed," he told her, turning the pages as he read them off. "Hopelessness, loneliness, powerlessness, loss of control, loss of respect, fear of being unloved or unneeded, the sense that everyone is against you." He looked up at her and it pained him to see the smile on her face had disappeared.

"I don't quite remember writing all of that," she said quietly.

"Well, I … picked up on it," he said, suddenly uncomfortable at the position he'd put her in. She looked as though every word he'd spoken had caused her to feel those emotions all over again. He sat the diary on his desk and leaned toward her.

"These seem to be consistent emotions for you," he said. Many of them had been listed repeatedly for various situations. "And deeply rooted." Some of the emotions seemed extreme when considering the neutrality of a few situations, like when he'd stepped forward to help her or after accepting help from the Charmings.

"You think so?" He could see the shadow of the evil queen coming over her. Her face and voice hardened and the gentleness in her eyes disappeared. He could see she'd developed a wall to protect herself, and it could very well be this was a wall she'd built and worn for most of her life.

He nodded, more at his own thoughts than her question. "I think these roots can be uncovered in your early life." Her body stiffened only slightly, but it was enough that he noticed. "I want to remind you that you said you wanted to change, and I that I warned you that during so might require digging up painful events in your life. I also I asked you to trust me. I wouldn't make you relive something painful if I didn't believe it was important to do so."

She shifted uncomfortably, her confidence long gone. But her iciness had faded.

"Do you trust me?" he asked her.

She nodded, but he could see the hint of fear in her face among her new found determination.

"All right," he said, dreading what terrors he was about to uncover. "Tell me about your mother."

"My mother," she started. Her voice sounded dry. "She and I had a difficult relationship."

"Tell me about it," he said gently when she didn't continue.

Regina pursed her lips and turned her gaze from him. "She always wanted what was best for me," she said. "The only thing was that what she felt was best didn't match with what I wanted for myself."

Archie nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"I have images of her being loving when I was a child - telling me bedtime stories, holding me in her arms … I just don't know if they are memories or something I fabricated."

"Would you say your mother was unloving?" he asked when she didn't speak.

"She had magic," she explained, still not looking at him. "And she used it as a method of discipline when she felt I wasn't acting the way I should."

"Can you give me an example?"

She sighed and spoke slowly as though the memory were replaying itself in front of her eyes. "When I was a teen, all I wanted to do was ride horses. My mother was disappointed that I wasn't married, and that I rode astride, like a man. I just wanted to be myself, but she cared about status and my future. We argued. She used magic to bind me." Regina grew quiet, and Archie let her sift through her thoughts. "I didn't fight her that day because I knew the more I fought, the tighter she'd squeeze."

Archie felt his heart go out to her once again. This woman had suffered, he'd known that. But to hear her voice the details was a different matter entirely. And it affected him in ways he hadn't expected.

Regina shook her head as though to shake the memory from it. "I ran to the stables. It was the only place I felt safe. Because Daniel was there, and he was the only one I could rely on to stand by me."

"What about your father?" asked Archie, finding it hard to speak. It hurt him to force her to dig deeper, but he'd be doing her a disservice otherwise.

"My father was always kind," she said, and for the first time a smile spread across her fact. "He was always supportive of me, but … I think he was every bit as afraid of her as I was. He was never really there for me."

Archie leaned back in his chair, mulling things over. Regina's difficult relationship with her parents reminded him a lot of his relationship with his own mother and father. "Our parents are supposed to be role models for us," he told her. "They prepare us for the world, and in many ways act as examples of what the world holds beyond our front door. When our relationship with our parents is less than ideal, it often translates to what we expect from others." He could understand why Regina felt she had to lash out to get everything she wanted. It was what her parents had taught her, that trusting people didn't work, that strength and power did. All she'd had to counteract those beliefs was Daniel, and with his death, she'd lost all hope.

"How did Daniel die?" he asked her. "You never said."

She seemed nervous and fidgeted. Her saw her eyes dart for the door.

"Regina," he said, leaning toward her. "Memories can't hurt us. Bringing them out in the open and talking about them can bring healing. Burying them away may seem less painful, but that's also when they do the most damage. They fester."

She nodded, still looking like she would rather be anywhere than here. But eventually she took a breath. He continued to be impressed by her courage. "My mother," she said. Again, she refused to look at him. "Didn't approve. When it was arranged for me to marry the king, Daniel and I were going to run away together. My mother discovered us …" She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath. "She ripped his heart out in front of me … and crushed it." She hid her face behind her hands.

Archie could think of nothing to say. Instead he did the only thing he could of and reached out hand to touch her arm. "I'm sorry."

She drew her hands away, and he didn't see any tears. "Are we finished?" she asked impatiently.

"Almost," he assured her. She was growing tired, he could see that, and emotionally drained. But they'd made a lot of progress today, and he didn't want to lose it. He needed her to think on what had been learned. "I need to give you your homework assignment."


	4. Chapter 4

Regina opened her thought diary. Archie had lined a new page in two columns, one labeled "supportive" and the other "destructive." She was to think on the relationships she had with the people around her and decide who was supportive of her and who wasn't.

She initially told Dr. Hopper that she didn't have friends, but he'd told her this wasn't about labeling friends, just who was supportive of her, who helped her to be the best she could, or who made her feel good when she was around them.

They had started on the list together. With his encouragement, she had written his name along with Henry and Snow under the "supportive" column. Dr. Hopper was certainly supportive of her, and she knew Henry wanted her to do well. She was still uncertain about Snow, but Archie had assured her she'd always believed in her ability to be better.

She'd listed her mother's name under destructive as an example. "These are the people who put you down," Archie had explained. "People who make you feel like you are not good enough."

She was sitting at the table in Mary Margaret's apartment. David had been called away on sheriff work and had asked her to look after Henry since he'd been having nightmares. Though they hadn't always seen eye to eye, she did feel supported in David's confidence in her. He seemed to trust her to some extent, and that made her feel good about herself.

She wrote his name under Snow's in the "supportive" column and stared at the list. We're these really people who were on her side? Who she could count on to believe in her? It seemed unlikely to her, but Dr. Hopper had asked her to do the assignment, so she was going to try.

"What are you working on?" Henry asked. Though it was passed lunch time and there was no need for him to sleep till night fell, he was wearing the pendant Gold had given him. She supposed it gave him comfort. She was glad Gold had been able to help, but it hurt her there was nothing she could do to protect him.

Regina told him she'd been visiting Dr. Hopper. She showed him the page with the list of names and explained her assignment.

"That looks about right," he said, smiling at the list. "What about Emma?"

Regina looked at the page again. She was more tempted to put Emma's name on the destructive side. Every time she was around that woman felt like a threat to her livelihood. But Archie had encouraged her to consider the thoughts and beliefs of other people. Was Miss Swan really trying to destroy everything she had, or was that just a belief Regina held? She wasn't sure. Just the mere thought of Emma infuriated her. It made it hard to think straight. She had to remind herself not to jump to conclusions.

"I haven't decided," she told Henry.

He became thoughtful but seemed to accept her answer. "What about Mr. Gold?" he asked, holding up the pendant. "He was helpful."

"He was helpful to you," said Regina, smiling. "He and I have a … difficult past." Difficult? Wasn't that the word she'd used to describe her relationship with her mother? She studied the page in the diary. She and Rumpelstiltskin had made many deals, but they had never exactly been civil toward each other unless it suited the both of them. Tentatively, she wrote his name under the "destructive" column beneath her mother's.

She stared at the lists she'd made and thought they looked ridiculous. Snow and Charming, supportive of her? They had been her enemies for most of her life! And Rumple had been the one she'd turned to whenever she'd needed something she couldn't accomplish on her own. And yet their relationship was destructive?

She could follow Archie's logic. She could see the words on the page. But they were hard to believe.

She turned a page in the diary, forgetting the list. "Maybe you can help me with something else," she told Henry. "I'm supposed to make a list of all my good qualities." Dr. Hopper had recommended she go through the exercise with a friend, and Henry was the best option she had.

Henry thought for a moment. "You're my mom."

"That's a quality?" she asked.

"Well, you're... motherly?" he amended.

"I didn't think I'd been doing a very good job of that," she told him, speaking of when Henry had chosen to go home with David over her.

"You are doing a good job now," he told her.

She smiled, forcing back the tears that threatened to come through. Henry had no idea how good those words made her feel. She wrote  _motherly_  into the book. "What else?"

"You're pretty," said Henry. "When you're not angry."

She focused on the first part of his statement. "Thank you, Henry." She wrote  _pretty_. When she couldn't think of anything, she pulled out the list of questions Archie had given her to look over. "What are your accomplishments?" she read.

"You're mayor," Henry told her.

"That's not real," she said. "It's just what the curse created." And the curse, the most powerful magic she had ever performed, had failed. She wasn't sure there was anything she could list as an accomplishment.

"But you put a lot of hard work into getting here, didn't you?" said Henry. "That's got to count for something."

She didn't agree with that, but if Henry said it was worth noting, she'd write it down. "Okay." She wrote  _hard working_.

"You're strong," continued Henry. "When you want something, you go after it."

She wrote that down too. Then she turned back to the list of questions.

 _What gifts or talents do you have?_  Regina struggled with that one. Magic was the obvious choice, but she wasn't supposed to be thinking about magic. "Anything in particular that I'm good at?" she asked Henry.

Henry thought, and she could tell he was thinking hard because he did that thing where his lips curled to one side of his face. When he couldn't think of anything, he took the list from her and started looking over it. Regina couldn't think of anything either and she started to grow frustrated at the thought that she had no other talent.

"What about love?" he asked.

She looked at him. "What?"

"Love," he said, pointing at the last question on the list:  _What other positives might you be discounting?_  "You have love," said Henry. "It's what the heroes in the stories have, and it's what the villains lack. But you have it. That's got to be worth writing down."

Regina stared him. She might have argued, but she didn't like to do so with Henry. If it was a quality he wanted her to list, she'd do it. "Yes," she said smiling and turning to the book. "I suppose it does." She wrote  _love_  under all her other qualities.


	5. Chapter 5

Regina stormed into Archie's office. It had been a terrible day, and she couldn't be more disappointed with herself. Henry had awoken that morning to inform her and David that Cora was trying to get to Storybrooke, which of course had terrified her. She'd gone to Gold, knowing they'd need their combined forces to stop her mother.

It was supposed to be simple. All that was needed was for Henry to deliver a message to Emma and Marry Margaret on how to find what they needed to stop Cora. But Henry had awoken with severe burns and his message hadn't gone through. And then Charming had demanded to be put under a sleeping curse.

She hadn't needed to make the curse, she knew that. But she'd wanted to. Some part of her had reveled in the opportunity to use magic again and in the thought of putting Charming under the curse as she had done with Snow, of having the set. She shouldn't have thought such things, and she'd pushed those thoughts down. She'd told herself she was doing it to help, that she had Charming's support so it couldn't be bad. But Rumple could have made the curse just as easily as she.

But when David had gone under the curse, he hadn't awoken. Time had been running out and there was no way of knowing if their message had gotten through. And then Rumple convinced her that the best thing they could do was destroy the portal so her mother couldn't make it to Storybrooke.

She'd lied to Henry.  _Lied_ to him, convinced herself it was for his own good. She and Gold had stolen the fairy dust and blocked the portal so no one could come through it. She had been a part of it all and supported it, even though in her heart she felt there was a chance that Emma and Mary Margaret could make it home.

And then Henry had found her and had asked her to have faith. Hadn't that been the whole point of her therapy? To believe that things could turn out well? To make herself better? To stop believing everyone was against her? To have faith in the people she had listed as being on her side? Instead, she had trusted Gold and lied to her son and done the very things she had promised herself she wouldn't.

She absorbed the magic they'd used to seal off the portal. It could have killed her, but she did it. She was stronger than she'd realized. And then Emma and Mary Margaret had come through and Henry had run into their arms. She'd tried to be pleased, to revel in the fact she'd done something good. But she hadn't felt good, not until Henry had hugged and told her thank you. And then they'd all gone to dinner without her. And Gold had taunted her.

She kicked a side table in Archie's office. She knew she was letting herself get carried away, but she didn't care. Gold had been a bastard to her, and she'd trusted him. She'd taken his words to heart and they hurt. And she hated it, hated that she'd let herself be used and manipulated, that she'd let him convince to do things she hadn't wanted to do and had been trying so hard not to. She'd let herself down, and he had helped her do it. She couldn't be more angry or disappointed at the whole of it and with herself.

Adrenaline was coursing through her. Archie didn't seem to care. He let her rant. He seemed to understand that she needed to get this out of her system. And surely his office was a better place for her to do it than alone at her house or at Granny's where everyone was having dinner. But she'd been through a lot today, her body especially had taken more than it should. Despite the adrenaline, she felt herself weaken.

Archie ran forward as he saw her fall. He caught her just before she hit the floor. "Easy," he said. "Easy." He gently lowered her till he was sitting on his knees on the carpet and the upper half of her body was cradled in his arms. "You okay?" he asked her.

She nodded at him.

"You think you can sit?"

She nodded again, and he slowly lifted her into a sitting a position. She sighed deeply, shook her head, and then burst into tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but today had been full of her doing things she hadn't wanted to do. And she couldn't stop them anymore than she'd been able to stop anything else.

"I'm sorry," she said, bringing a hand to her face in an attempt to stem the flow. "I didn't do anything right."

"Regina, it's okay," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "These things happen. We all fall off the bandwagon every once in a while. No one's perfect. The point is that we learn from our mistakes and we move forward."

She nodded at him as though she understood. But then she shook her head and a new flood of tears came through. "I'm sorry," she said again. "I just - I tried so hard. I don't feel like anyone notices - or cares. I just don't feel very loved right now."

Her body was wracked with sobs, and for a moment, Archie didn't know what to do. But then he took her into his arms and held her. It was completely against doctor-patient protocol. But she needed to feel loved and supported right now. She needed to feel that all of her struggles hadn't been pointless. She needed to know someone cared and acknowledged her efforts. And he was the only person in the immediate vicinity who could provide that.

So he held her and rocked her. And he rubbed her back as she sobbed into his shirt. And he didn't feel guilty about it because it was what she needed.

"Have you eaten?" he asked after her cries had died down a little. He was concerned about her nearly fainting again once she stood and got on her way.

She shook her head against his shoulder. "I don't know if I could get dinner by myself right now," she admitted.

He nodded to himself. Of course she wouldn't want to eat alone, and he didn't feel she should have to. She'd made so much progress. She deserved to be rewarded for her efforts. She needed some positive reinforcement right now.

"How about this?" he said, pulling back from her to reveal her tear streaked face. He couldn't help himself from reaching forward to brush the tears away. "What if we go over to my place and I'll make you dinner?"

She looked surprised at his offer. But then her face melted into a smile. "I would like that," she said. And then her voice broke under the weight of how much his offer meant to her.

"Don't cry," he told her, putting his arms around her again. He thought his heart might break over the pain this gentle woman was experiencing. "Don't cry."

She dried her eyes on his shoulder and pulled away from him. "Yes," she said, taking a breath as she composed herself. "Dr. Hopper." She wiped the last of the moisture from her face. "I would love to have dinner with you."

He smiled at her, at how quickly she'd pulled herself together. He'd been right - she'd been wearing that mask for a long time. She was quite proficient at putting it on. "Call me Archie," he told her, meaning it as a gentle gesture. She needed a friend right now, and he wanted to be that.

She tilted her head. "Isn't that a little unprofessional?"

"It's a small town," he told her. "Everyone calls me Archie."

"Okay," she said. "Archie."

He stood and held out his hand to help her up. And she took it.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina sat in a chair at the kitchen counter while Archie rummaged around making dinner for the two of them. She had half a toasted bagel in her hand, spread with cream cheese. Archie had insisted she eat something, worried she might faint again. And though she felt his concern was unfounded, she was grateful that he cared. Few people seemed to these days.

She took some pleasure in watching him cook. He reminded her a lot of herself when she worked in the kitchen. He seemed to know what he was doing, a confidence that came from years of practice.

"What?" he said, noticing her smile as he seared the chicken breasts he had placed in the pan.

"It's just," she said, her smile growing wider. "Not what I had expected."

He twirled the spatula. "You were thinking typical bachelor pad?" He left the chicken to lift the lid on another pan in which green beans were steaming. "Beers scattered everywhere amongst the remains of discarded TV dinners?"

She laughed. "Something like that."

She could not stop smiling. It had been a long time since anyone had pampered her. If Archie was trying to make her feel special, it was working, and she greatly appreciated it. Her opinion of him was certainly climbing.

"When did you learn to cook?" she asked him.

"Uh…" He said, checking on the chicken again. "I got tired of eating TV dinners."

She laughed, and he smiled at her.

"I've heard you can make a mean meal yourself," he said.

She shrugged, feigning modesty. She prided herself in her cooking ability. "I'd always had servants to cook for me," she told him. "Until Storybrooke, I'd never cooked a meal in my life. But I decided I needed to learn, so I did. And I found I enjoyed it."

Remembering, she pulled out her diary and added "good cook" to her list of qualities.

"You know, I was thinking," said Archie, catching sight of the diary. "You should make a list of the things you enjoyed doing before becoming queen. Just hobbies and other activities. You mentioned horseback riding - you don't do any of that now, do you?"

"No…" she said quietly. Being near the stables had reminded her of Daniel, and the memories had been too painful. After his death, she'd only used horses as a means of transport. Any enjoyment she'd gotten from the activity had died with him.

"I think maybe it's something you should think about," he said.

She wasn't sure, but before she could respond, the microwave dinged and he went to retrieve the mashed potatoes from it. "You don't mind leftovers, do you?" he asked.

"Not at all," she said shaking her head. She couldn't imagine satisfying the hunger a growing ten-year-old boy without leftovers.

"I think seasoned potatoes are better a day old, anyway," he said.

"I would agree," she told him. "Would you like some help?" she asked as he started getting out the plates.

"Nope," he said. "You stay right there."

In a few minutes, she had a hot plate of food in front of her. The aroma coming off it was mouth watering. She didn't know if it was just that good or if it was because she was starving. But Archie wasn't done, he pulled a glass of champagne from the fridge and filled two glasses, one of which he placed in front of her.

"You just keep an unopened bottle of champagne around?" she asked him.

"It's a bachelor pad," he told her. "I have to keep the alcohol well stocked."

She could not remember the last time she had laughed so much. "Champagne is not the usual cheap bachelor pad alcohol," she told him.

"If you must know," he said, smiling. "It's for special occasions."

"Well," she said, taking the glass in her hand. "If you were trying to make me feel spoiled, you've succeeded." She wasn't exactly sure how she felt about all this attention. It had been such a long time since she'd enjoyed any man's company, not to mention a man who seemed to be enjoying  _her_ company of his own free will.

"Well," he told her. "You've been working hard. I though you deserved something special for your efforts."

"Thank you," she said. She was truly touched.

When there was nothing else to say, he gestured at their plates. "Dig it. And, uh, I'm always open to constructive criticism."

But Regina couldn't think of criticism to add. The meal was delicious. She didn't think she could have done it better herself. Once they'd cleared their plates, they worked on the champagne bottle. Talking, laughing, and finishing it between the two of them. Archie's dalmatian, Pongo, lay dutifully on his cushioned pillow in the corner of the room, knowing better than to interrupt.

"Were did you find him?" Regina asked, finishing her glass.

"He was just wondering around town one day," Archie explained. "I thought someone had lost him. I put up fliers but no one claimed him."

"Henry had wanted a dog," Regina said, conversationally. "But I had to put my foot down. I just couldn't be a single mother and look after an animal too. It really crushed him." She sighed. "I can't tell you the number of times I'd thought things might have been easier if there'd been … someone else to help."

A silence followed. Regina was keenly away of the positions of their arms as they rested against the counter. Their fingers were very close to each other, almost touching. She doubted either of them had noticed. "I bet," she said, simply thinking her thoughts out loud. "A bachelor pad gets lonely sometimes."

She heard him suck in a breath and then let it out slowly. She looked up at him, and for a moment they stared at each other. And then Archie looked away.

"Regina-" he started.

"No," she said. "Let me." He looked back up at her. "I haven't … always been the best at expressing myself. I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me - for believing in me, helping me, being there for me, making be believe that I can be the woman I used to be…" She exhaled softly. "I'm not looking for anything more from you than you want to give, but…" She drew her gaze from him, uncertain. And then she brought it back. "I just - right now - would like to feel loved … by a man who seems to appreciate me."

Archie could feel his heart beating in his chest. How was he supposed to say no to a woman when she put it like that? It was against everything - doctor-patient protocol, his own ethical code - and yet … This was not the Evil Queen sitting before him. This was a much kinder, gentler woman who was struggling with a past he himself could relate to. And, if he was willing to admit it to himself, he did care for her. He had seen her softer side come through again and again, and he did admire it, maybe even love it. Maybe even feel something akin to love for  _her_ , for the beautiful woman he saw sitting in front of him.

Had he been in his office, he never could have talked himself into it. But he was in the comfort of his own apartment, there was a beautiful woman staring at him - wanting him - and they had just shared a wonderful dinner. He had only originally meant it as a friendly gesture, an encouragement of her efforts, but it wasn't difficult at all for him imagine this could have been a date.

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was atmosphere of the evening, maybe he had just wanted to, but he reached out his hand and placed it on the side of her face, caressing her cheek. And when she smiled at him, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Everything went slow at first. As he pressed his lips to hers, he heard her sigh. Eventually, she placed a hand on his arm, curling her fingers into the fabric of his sleeve as she kissed him back. For a few moments, that's all it was, just the two of them testing the waters, their lips gently pressing together. But then Regina tightened her grip and pulled him toward her, and he responded in kind.

The more they kissed, the more eagerly they sought each other. He felt her hand slide up his shoulder to his hair. Between more kisses, her other hand found its way down his arm before grasping the front of his shirt. As she claimed his mouth, his fingers curled around the back of her neck before slipping under her arm and around her back. Their bodies came together, nearly pulling each other out of their chairs.

And then, as they clung to each other, he felt her movements slow. He pulled away from her to look at her face, which suddenly seemed uncertain and confused.

"What is it?" he asked. "Is everything all right?"

She nodded but didn't speak. She lowered herself back into her chair and then left the counter to pick up her things.

"Regina," he said. "What is it?"

"It's fine," she said, pulling on her jacket and slinging her purse over her shoulder. "Everything is fine." She slipped her feet into her shoes.

"Regina," he said, standing in front of her so she couldn't leave.

She looked up at him. "Thank you," she said. "For dinner." And then she adverted her eyes. "Dr. Hopper."

The shock was enough for him to step aside and let her leave. As his front door snapped shut, he brushed his fingers against his lips, wondering what the hell had just happened.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina had been doing everything she could to avoid him. At the party last night, celebrating Snow and Emma's return, he'd looked like he'd wanted to talk to her, but she'd found every excuse to look the other way. Eventually, he'd gotten the message.

She knew she'd have to talk to him again at their next counseling session, and she'd considered skipping that as well. But then Emma had told her Archie had let her know Regina was seeing him for therapy, and that had infuriated her.

She would have turned in the other direction when she saw him walking Pongo the next morning, but she was too angry to do so.

"Good morning," he said pleasantly as he saw her walking toward him.

Regina wondered if he hadn't noticed the anger on her face or if she was having difficulty showing it.

"Is it,  _bug?_ " she snapped to make up for her shortcomings.

He came to a stop to stand next to her. "I was just trying to make friendly conversation."

"Was it just friendly conversation when you decided to tell Miss Swan I was seeing you for counseling?"

He gave a great sigh, then shook his head. "I was trying to help you."

"Help me?!" she yelled.

He held out his hands in a gesture of peace. "You've said that I'm the only one who seems willing to give you a chance. If you want other people to look at you differently, then you have to show them that you are willing to change." He paused. "I only mentioned that you were coming to see me as an example of your commitment to be better."

"How?" she yelled. "How is that supposed to make people think better of me if you're there to remind them I can't do it on my own?"

"Hey!"

Regina turned to see Ruby jogging toward them.

"Is everything okay here?" she asked. When Regina snapped at her, she looked to Archie, who nodded that she could go. And she left.

"I'm not a bug," said Archie as he watched Ruby jog away.

"What?" said Regina.

"I'm not a bug," said Archie again, turning to face her. "I know the curse turned all the animals with human-like qualities into people, but that wasn't me. I was human first."

Regina stared at him. She hadn't realized that.

"I didn't like who I was," he continued. "I asked the Blue Fairy for help, and she turned me into a cricket. She let me start my life over. She let me change."

She knew that last part was directed at her, but she had no response to give.

He readjusted his footing as Pongo tugged impatiently on the leash. "Regina, there's a few things you need to understand. It is  _not_  weakness to admit that you need help. And it is not weakness to let yourself care about someone you'd thought you'd probably never have feelings for."

Regina opened her mouth to protest.

"You can build up your wall," he said. "To protect yourself-"

"Don't psychoanalyze me!" she demanded.

He didn't say anything right away, just let her stare at him with her rage. "I don't know what happened that night," he said at last. "And I don't know what made it so easy for you to let me in." He looked away from her. "Maybe you thought I was a bug and incapable of human emotions like love and vengeance, I don't know." He looked back to her. "But I believed in you. I believed that you were serious, that you wanted to change."

"I do want to change," she told him.

"Then you need to have a little faith in people," he told her. "You need to believe they can let you in. And you need to have a little faith in me. You said you trusted me, and that shouldn't have changed once you walked out of my office. I am trying to help." He stared at her, and she stared back at him as hard as she possibly could. "And if you don't want it anymore, all you have to do is say so."

She hadn't expected that. But before she could register her thoughts, he had turned and began walking away from her.

"I don't think we should have our session tonight," he shouted after her. "Call me when you want it rescheduled."

 

 

Archie tossed the stress ball he usually kept in the drawer of his desk purposefully back and forth between his hands. He took a couple of deep breaths. He still couldn't get his mind off Regina or the conversation they'd had that morning.

He'd been upset, and he'd let his emotions get carried away. He shouldn't have done that.

He still couldn't wrap his mind around what had happened that night at dinner. In some ways it made a lot of sense. She'd been feeling good, he'd been feeling good, why not? But it had made things so very complicated. This was why doctors shouldn't have relationships with patients!

He threw the ball against the wall and it bounced back to him.

But that was exactly the problem, wasn't it? He was thinking of it as a relationship when there was none. They'd kissed. Aggressively. Whatever. It didn't matter. It had been all hormones and alcohol and sexual tension. Fine. But that didn't mean it had meant anything. So why couldn't he let it go?

 _You like her,_  he said to himself, throwing the ball at the wall again.  _Just admit it. You like her._ He threw the ball again, and again, and again.

Yes, he liked her. He'd known that. He'd just had trouble admitting it to himself because of her history. But she wasn't the Evil Queen anymore. She was someone else, someone new and beautiful, someone he'd found himself relating too.

Archie gave a bitter laugh. It didn't matter what he'd thought of her. Apparently she'd thought even less of him.

" _Bug_ ," he said, throwing the ball. It hit the wall and bounced back to him. He threw it again. " _Insect_."

As the ball was on its way back to him, Pongo lunched himself off his cushion and caught it with his mouth, immediately covering it with his drool.

Archie sighed deeply. It didn't matter. Not really. This wasn't about his feelings. This was about her - her progress, her treatment, her road to recovery. And he was going to be there for her. And if that meant as nothing more than her doctor, then so be it. He would get over it.

He walked over to the phone, debating whether or not to call her. He wasn't sure she'd call him to schedule another appointment, and he wanted her to know there wasn't any danger in doing so. But it was probably best to wait, to give the situation a day or two to calm down before he contacted her again.

At that moment, as he stepped away from the phone, there was a knock on the door. He couldn't have been more surprised when he opened it to find Regina standing there.

"I know it's late," she said. "But I was hoping we could talk."

He nodded. He wasn't sure what good could be done at the moment, but he was willing to try. He stepped aside to let Regina in and found it very strange when Pongo growled.


	8. Chapter 8

Regina could hardly believe the words she was hearing.

"Archie's dead?" she breathed.

"Oh, stop it, Regina," said Charming. "Ruby saw you going into his office last night."

"Well, she's lying," said Regina, her voice rising at the end. "I was at home all afternoon."

She hugged an arm around her middle and resisted the urge to rock herself. Archie couldn't be dead. He just couldn't be. The last time she'd spoken to him was when they'd had their argument, and that just couldn't be the last words she'd said to him.

"I couldn't kill him," she told Emma as she took a seat on the table Regina was sitting behind. "I couldn't. I-"

He'd thought she didn't care about him, that she had thought of him as nothing more than a worthless insect. But that hadn't been true. She'd just been scared.

"You what?" Emma asked her.

"I-" What did she always do when she was afraid? She gathered her anger and used it as a shield. She targeted other people before they could hurt her, even if all she had was the fear that they might do so without any evidence to it. "We were … It was complicated."

Emma tilted her head. "You were … involved?" She sounded like she found it hard to believe.

Regina put her face in her hands. She didn't want to show weakness, not in front of Emma and David. But what was the point? She hadn't wanted to show her vulnerability in front of Archie, and what had come of it?

She hadn't realized she'd had feelings for him, not until that night at dinner. And it had freaked her out. She hadn't thought she could love again, and once she'd realized she could it had terrified her. She was scared of losing it again, so she'd ran. And when she'd found something to use against him - when Emma had said he'd told her she was undergoing therapy - she'd held onto it. She'd let it boil so she could put distance between them.

And it had worked, hadn't it? He'd done his best not to show it, but she could tell she'd hurt him. She dreaded what his last thought of her might have been.

"Come on, Emma," said Charming breaking into her thoughts. "Who do you think's lying? Ruby? Or her?"

Regina lowered her hands, letting the tears show on her face. David stopped talking.

"I didn't kill him," she said, uttering each word slowly. Despite herself, her lip trembled.

Emma took David's arm and pulled him from the room. Regina buried her eyes in her palms and tried to not sob.

 

 

Archie gazed fearfully upon his two captors. The woman stood tall before him, her face firm. And yet she wore what on any other person would have been a pleasant smile. The man, dressed all in black leather, sat behind the woman, looking slightly bored as he polished the hook that substituted for his hand.

Archie's hands were tied together from the rafters above him. His wrists hung uselessly in front of his face. His ankles were also tied together and confined against the bench on which he sat. He had no chance of escape.

"I'm Cora," said the woman, still wearing her smile. "But you knew that already, didn't you?"

He had guessed as much. He could see the resemblance between her and Regina.

"I can only imagine, as your patient, what my daughter must have told you," she said, walking toward him. Her voice was smooth and gentle. If he'd randomly encountered her on the street, he wouldn't have thought anything sinister about her.

Cora knelt before him so they were on equal level. "I assure you, I only wish to help my daughter." She untied the gag around his mouth, and he was glad to have the restraint removed. "Please tell me where I can find her."

She was very good, Archie thought. She truly seemed to be nothing more than a concerned parent. If he'd met on her on the street and had known nothing about her, he would have told her anything she'd wanted to know. But he did know about her, and she'd also kidnapped him.

He gave her no answer.

She sighed. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to do this the hard way." She struck out her hand, her fingers closing around his neck, crushing his wind pipe. He gasped for air. "Tell me where she is, or I'll kill you."

Archie tugged at his restraints, trying to kick out at her, trying to wrench his hands free so he could claw at the one around his neck. But the knots were too well tied. He could not break loose, and Cora hung on. His lungs started to burn. He struggled for air. And just when he thought he couldn't stay conscious much longer, Cora let go.

He coughed and gasped, bringing merciful gulps of oxygen back into his lungs.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" asked Cora. "Tell me–"

"No," said Archie immediately. "I won't help you." This woman was pure evil. After what she'd done to Regina, he wouldn't give her anything.

She fixed him with a look, but her pleasantness never faltered. "Who do you think you're protecting?" she asked. "I will find my daughter, one way or another, if I have to tear Storybrooke apart. It just takes less time this way. You are only ensuring your own pain by resisting." She shoved her hand into his chest.

Archie cried out as her hand magically merged into his chest. It was pain unlike any he'd ever felt. The very cells in his body seemed to rise up against it. Cora's arm twisted and his chest burned, like his body was trying to combat the intrusion. But nothing could be done, and then he felt something cold grip around his heart.

"You will tell me," she said. "Or this will only get worse."

She squeezed, and the pain he felt seemed to double. He pulled desperately on his restraints, from which he knew there was no hope. He cried out again as she squeezed harder. His body convulsed involuntarily as pain swept through him. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. He prayed for unconsciousness to come over him.

And then, when he thought his heart couldn't take any more, when he thought for sure he was dying, he felt his mind slip into the most basic of human thought – survival.

"The – mayor's house," he gasped involuntarily.

Cora let go, removing her hand from his chest. The wave of relief that washed over him as the pain stopped was the most beautiful sensation he'd ever experienced. He could feel his heart still beating in his chest. He was alive, for now.

"Of course," she said. "I should have known." She stood and smiled at him. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She turned to the man behind her. "He's all yours."

Cora ascended the stairway to the deck of the ship, and Archie closed his eyes in a silent prayer that Regina would be alright. Guilt took over his relief. He hadn't been able to remain silent. He wasn't as strong as he thought he was. Despair replaced guilt as he realized he would tell them anything and everything they wanted to know. With enough force, he wouldn't be able to hold out.

Upon resuming his gaze, his eyes fixed upon the man who slowly stood and advanced toward him."I may not be as proficient as Cora in these kinds of dealings," he said, tossing away the rag he had been using as he'd polished. "But I assure you, I have my ways." His hook glistened before Archie's eyes.

"Please," he begged. Betraying the people he was trying to protect was the last thing he wanted to do.


	9. Chapter 9

Emma shined her flashlight over the doors of the mausoleum that housed the tomb of Regina's father. She had her doubts this was the right place, but this was where Henry had told them to go.

"Graham and I searched this place before," she said as she and Archie stepped inside. "We couldn't find an entrance."

"There has to be one somewhere," Archie said as he felt along the walls.

The moment he'd escaped from Hook's ship, he'd gone looking for Emma. As sheriff, she needed to be told Cora was in town, and if he was going to check on Regina at her house, he'd need back up. And then he'd learned everyone thought he was dead and Regina had fallen under suspicion. She'd vanished upon the moment of her arrest.

He was adamant about finding her. Her mother was looking for her, and he needed to let her know. He also needed to know she was safe. He'd known if she'd used magic to escape arrest, then she had to be on the run. And she'd feel safest with magic to protect her.

Upon inquiring of Henry if Regina had a place where she kept her magic, he'd mentioned her vault under the mausoleum. But as Archie had rushed out the door and Emma had followed, neither of them had thought to ask Henry how to actually find the entrance to the vault.

"Help me," Archie said when he looked over his shoulder and saw Emma was standing in the doorway, facing the outside. Her flashlight and gun were drawn, so she was probably watching for Cora. But he didn't think he could find the entrance on his own, and if Cora was looking for Regina, then they were running out of time.

She holstered the gun and joined him in searching the walls, but the extra pair of eyes didn't help.

Archie spun around, frustrated. He'd searched the walls twice and had found nothing. Was he going about this all wrong? He rested his hands on the tomb of Regina's father and sighed.

"Archie?" asked Emma, stepping away from the wall to check on him.

He looked up at her, and somehow, in that moment, the solution came to him. He pushed on the side of the tomb, and it moved. Emma came over to help him, but it really wasn't difficult. It slid quite easily along the floor, revealing a stone staircase descending into the ground.

Without hesitating, Archie hurried down it. The vault was bigger than he had expected. It was at least several times the size of the mausoleum, and it branched into hallways that held many shelves and bottles. Archie didn't know which way to turn, but he was certain Regina had to be here.

"Regina!" he called, turning to his right and searching that area. "Regina!"

Emma went to the left to cover more ground. But it didn't take long to search the whole place, and they came up with nothing.

"Archie, she's not here," said Emma apologetically. "We should try somewhere else."

He felt his spirits plummet. She had to be here! Where else would she go? And if they'd been wrong and she was somewhere else, would they be able to find her in time? Was it possible Cora already had her?

"Archie?"

He turned around to see Regina standing half behind a secret doorway down the hall he'd just searched. The look on her face was one of complete disbelief.

For a moment, they stood frozen as they faced each other, neither of them knowing what to do or say. But then Regina hurried forward and threw her arms around him. "They said you were dead!"

He held her tightly, glad to see she was safe. "It was your mother," he said. "She kidnapped me."

Regina pulled away from him. "My mother? She's in Storybrooke?"

He nodded. "Yes, and she's looking for you."

But his words didn't seem to bother her. She placed a hand on the side of his face, her eyes becoming watery. "You're okay? You're alive?"

He nodded, touched at the concern on her face. "I'm fine."

He couldn't have been more surprised when she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She must have noticed he was slow to react because she pulled away from him and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

"I know," he told her, smiling. She  _did_  like him. "I'm sorry too."

She kissed him eagerly. And he kissed her back with just as much enthusiasm.

They were interrupted as Emma cleared her throat. "Don't you think we should get moving?" she said, looking a little uncomfortable as Regina and Archie extracted themselves from each other. "If your mother's looking for you, is this the safest place?"

"I told her about your house," Archie said to Regina, hoping his apology showed on his face.

"Then she'll go there first," said Regina, thinking. "And then here." She looked around her, trying to decide.

This place might keep her safe against the inhabitants of Storybrooke, but her mother was a different story. One couldn't fight fire with fire. A vault of magic was just more weaponry her mother could use. They couldn't stay here, no matter how uneasy returning to town made her feel.

"You're right," she said to Emma. "We should go. I just need one thing first."

She turned down a hallway where a tall chest stood, partially open. She opened it further and, knowing exactly what she was looking for, pulled out a small unassuming box.

"It's not magic," she said to the questioning look on Archie's face. "It's just … a little insurance."

"What do you mean?"

She held the box with both hands, as though trying to hide it from view. "It's best if you don't ask."

Archie opened his mouth to suggest she should trust him, but Emma interrupted them.

"We should be going," she said.

Feeling she was right, that there'd be time for talking later, Archie put an arm around Regina and they hurried from the vault together.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma tried not to keep glancing in the rearview mirror at the couple in the back of the police car. Regina sat in the middle of the seat, leaning into Archie's side. He kept an arm around her. Neither of them spoke, their minds perhaps filled with concerns over Cora's presence in Storybrooke they didn't wish to voice out loud.

At one point, Archie pressed a kiss in Regina's hair. Emma brought her eyes back to the road. Seeing the two of them together was odd … and yet, not odd at all. If Regina really was trying her best to change, then who else would have understood her underlying nature better than Archie? And if she was seeking for someone to understand her in that way, then why wouldn't they have found their way to each other?

It made simple sense, but it was still unexpected … and yet, not unpleasant news. She couldn't see Archie falling for the Evil Queen. Regina really had to have changed for Archie to take a romantic interest in her. And if he felt comfortable enough to be in a romantic relationship with her, then there didn't seem to be any reason for anyone else not to be comfortable around Regina or not to trust her.

"Maybe…" said Emma slowly, looking into the back seat via the mirror. "Once Cora is dealt with, Henry could spend the night at your place … or something."

Regina looked as though that was the last thing she had expected Emma to say. "I … would like that," she said.

Emma nodded. "I'll ask Henry when he'd like to come over."

"Thank you." Regina settled back under Archie's arm, smiling. He whispered something into her ear, and her smile grew wider.

Emma removed her gaze from the mirror and continued driving. It was an uneventful trip to Regina's house. Night had fallen long before, and there was no sign of life in the house.

"Wait here," Emma said before any of them had left the car. "I'll search the house." She got out of the car and started down the sidewalk.

"I can do it faster," Regina shouted after her, having climbed out of the car.

Emma turned back to her.

"It's a seeking spell," She explained to both Emma and Archie, who had gotten out of the car as well. "If my mother is here, it will let us know." She looked to Archie, who nodded, and then she looked to Emma, who nodded as well.

The three of them walked toward the house. Emma opened the front door while Regina sat the box she'd been carrying at her feet. She pressed her palms together, then slowly pulled them apart, a ball of blue light forming between them.

She shifted the ball to one hand, then threw it into the house. The three of them stood back from the porch and followed the blue light as it appeared in window after window as it searched the house.

At last, the ball came floating out the door into Regina's hands where it dissipated.

"Nothing," Regina told them. "She isn't here. She couldn't hide from it."

Emma touched the gun that hung in her holster. "Mind if I look?"

Regina opened her mouth to protest, but Archie quickly muttered, "She's just trying to help."

Regina swallowed her words. She had to get better at trusting people, especially Miss Swan, and not always assuming the woman was trying to take something from her. "Of course," she amended.

Emma gave a nod and entered the house. Regina and Archie followed, but they stayed in the lower floor while Emma searched. They waited impatiently until Emma finally finished searching the rooms and confirmed that Cora was indeed not in the house.

They discussed Henry for a few minutes - whether he was safe or if he needed to be moved somewhere else - and eventually even Regina had to admit Henry was probably safest with his birth mother. If Cora was looking for her, it was too dangerous for Henry to be with her. Though Regina doubted there was much Emma could do in the way of protecting Henry from Cora's magic, he would be in even grater danger if he stayed with herself.

She didn't even know if Cora knew about Henry, but if she'd come to the house and searched the rooms, then surely she'd noticed the boy's bed. She'd been fearful if her mother came to Storybrooke, she'd want to destroy everything she cared about, and that included Henry. But she also knew her mother would want to find her first. Destroying everything she loved without her present to watch wouldn't serve as much of a purpose.

There was little that she could do about it anyway. Henry was in Emma's hands now.

"I'll check on you the morning," Emma said. Then she looked to Archie. "Do you need a ride home?"

"No," said Archie slowly. "I think I'm staying." He looked to Regina for confirmation and her face folded in gratitude.

Emma smiled at them. "Good night then." She headed out.

Regina paced. "I'm going to put a warding spell on the house," she said at last. "No one will be able to come in unless we let them."

Archie thought that was a good idea. While she went outside to do the spell, he went into the kitchen to put on a kettle for tea.

"Here," he said later when they were seated in her sitting room. He handed her a fresh cup of tea and sat down next to her.

Regina sipped it carefully so as not to burn herself. "Chamomile?" she asked him. "You're trying to calm my nerves?"

"Well, you looked like you might need it," he admitted. They had hardly spoken since she'd come back into the house, and she kept fidgeting – straitening things, glancing at the covered windows, or just rubbing her hands against her arms or legs.

"I just hate waiting," she told him. She put her cup on the table and took his hands. "I'm so glad you are here with me."

He smiled at her and caressed her palm with his thumb. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he said. "And I'll do whatever I can to take your mind off things."

She smiled, her lips curling to one side. "Really?" She leaned forward and kissed him.

Archie returned the kiss, his arm fumbling around before finding the edge of the table upon which he sat his tea. And then he put his arms around her, pulling her close. She responded by deepening the kiss, this method of distraction agreeable to the both of them.

At one point, Archie found himself laying back against the cushions, Regina hovering over him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, their bodies coming together. She had her hands in his hair when she suddenly pulled away. She sat up on the edge of the couch, a hand pressed to her chest like she was having trouble breathing.

"Regina," he said, pulling himself up into a sitting position. "What's wrong?" When she didn't say anything he moved next to her and put an arm around her. "Talk to me."

She took a shaking breath and shook her head, but eventually she turned her fearful face toward him. "If my mother finds out about you–"

"Regina," he brought a hand to her cheek, saddened their distraction hadn't worked to keep her mother from her mind.

"She didn't know," she told him. "She must have thought you were just my doctor, but if she discovered how I feel about you–"

"Hush," he said taking her face into his hands. "She isn't here." He kissed her forehead. As she took another shuddering breath, he pressed his lips to her neck. "She can't hurt us."

He kissed her face and wrapped his arms around her. He kept kissing her – behind the ear, beneath the collar of her shirt, at the corner of her lips – until she kissed him back and gave in once again.

As they sought each other passionately, she started pulling at his clothing – taking off his sweater vest, tugging at his tie until it came undone. He took her fully into his arms and picked her up off the couch. He kicked off his shoes and continued kissing her, fumbling slightly as he navigated the house and finally found her room where he deposited her on the bed.

That night, as they gave into their passions, there was no one else in their thoughts – no Cora hunting them, no Henry to be concerned over, no Emma to check in on them in the morning, no loves of the past haunting them – it was just them two. And this night was theirs.


	11. Chapter 11

Archie awoke the next morning feeling warm and well rested. Regina lay curled up at his side, looking peaceful and beautiful in the thin rays of morning light coming through the window blinds. He got out of bed slowly, not wanting to disturb her.

He located his trousers and pulled them on. He found his shirt and put it on as well but didn't button it. Then he made his way downstairs to the kitchen where he brewed a pot of coffee. The morning was quiet and peaceful, and the events of the past few days seemed far away. So much so that when there came a knock at the door, he didn't pause to think who it might be.

"Emma!" he said, surprised at his own thoughtlessness. He quickly began buttoning his shirt, embarrassed to have presented himself so poorly.

"Just making sure everything's alright," she said. If she was fazed at all over his overly casual attire, she did a good job of hiding it.

"We're doing fine," he told her, his hands still fiddling with buttons. "How are things on your end?"

"Uneventful," she admitted.

"That's good," he said, glad Henry was safe. "Would you like to come in? I just made some coffee."

"Sounds great."

He pushed open the door for her, and she followed him inside.

"It's a little strange, isn't it?" he said conversationally as he led the way to the kitchen. "I would have expected Cora to show herself by now."

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint."

Archie turned around to stare at Emma who smiled and then became engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke.

 

 

Regina stretched as she awoke. It took her a moment to realize Archie wasn't with her. The bed was still warm where he'd laid, so she knew he couldn't have been up for long. She basked in the warmth of the sheets for a few moments before getting out of bed.

She located her robe and slid it on, wearing nothing underneath and smiling at the thought of having a man in the house to allow herself the pleasure. Then she headed downstairs. She breathed in the smell of coffee halfway to the bottom. She could get used to this, to having someone to look after her.

"How nice of you to join us, dear."

Regina almost tripped over herself, jumping at the sound of her mother's voice. She stood in the foyer, Archie sitting on his knees beside her, whether magicked to do so or physically forced into that position, she couldn't tell. He was shooting her a fierce look, telling her to remain calm, that somehow everything would be alright.

"M-mother," said Regina, wrapping her robe more tightly around her. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see my daughter," she said smiling. "I thought we could talk."

Regina looked from Cora to Archie. "Let him go," she said. "And we can talk."

"Regina-" Archie protested.

Cora silenced him with a wave of her hand. "I don't think so," she said. And then she laughed. "Do you think I don't see what's going on here?" She looked from Archie to Regina, who felt like her mother could see right through her robe to the fact that she was wearing nothing underneath. "My daughter and the cricket?"

"He's not a bug," said Regina immediately.

"And you think a man who chooses to be one is any different?" asked Cora. "Dear, I thought I'd raised you better than that. I see we're going to have to review some of our lessons."

Archie cried out as Cora reached into his chest.

"Mother, no!" cried Regina.

Ignoring her daughter, Cora pulled out his heart and squeezed. Archie fell forward in pain, clutching his chest.

Regina scrambled backward, her hands reaching across her desk where she'd left the box she'd collected from her vault. She flung the lid open and squeezed the object inside as hard as she could.

Cora stumbled forward and Archie's cries of pain ceased. He lay gasping on the floor.

"Oh, you  _have_  learned," said Cora, smiling as she looked up to see her own heart grasped in her daughter's hand. "Tell me, dear, what is it you plan to do now?"

"You squeeze, I squeeze," said Regina, looking again from her mother to Archie. She had no plan, none at all. But she felt willing to do nearly anything to ensure Archie made it out of this alive.

"You think you have it in you, do you?" asked Cora. "You'd kill your own mother," she turned to look down upon Archie. "For this … insect?"

"Mother…" Regina didn't know what to say or do. But she knew in that moment Cora was not about to back down.

"Regina," Archie pleaded with her. "Don't-"

"Let's see how much you've really learned," she said and squeezed again.

Archie cried out, and though she knew her lover didn't approve, Regina curled her fingers around her mother's heart. Cora gasped and stumbled, but her grip on Archie's heart did not falter. Regina squeezed harder, but the longer she watched Archie writhing on the floor, the more certain she became she couldn't hurt her mother in the same way.

"Mother, stop!" Regina cried, forcing the heart from her hand and onto the desk. "Just stop!" Regina help up her hands to show they were empty.

Cora straightened, one hand clutching her chest and the other still clamped over Archie's heart. She smiled at Regina in what was the warmest smile Regina could remember ever receiving from her. And for a moment, Regina thought all of this might end.

"I've told you before, dear," said Cora with a sigh. "Love is weakness." And her grip around Archie's heart became like iron.

Regina screamed, her own voice ringing in her ears with Archie's pained sounds. She lunged across her desk, reaching for the letter opener. She would not let Archie die, not like Daniel, not like this, not again. Grasping the object in her hand, she drove it through her mother's heart in the only action she thought might save the man she cared so much about.

Cora crumpled to the floor.

Thinking only of Archie, Regina ran to him. He was lying face down on the floor. Frantic, she rolled him over onto her lap. He wasn't breathing, but she found a pulse.

Stepping over her mother's body, she found where Archie's heart had rolled from Cora's hand. Regina shoved it into his chest. He gasped and coughed, clinging to her as his lungs found how to breathe again.

"If I ever have a heart attack," he croaked as his coughing fit died down. "I'm blaming your mother."

Regina let out a breath of nervous laughter and kissed him on the forehead.

 

 

Archie sat in a chair beside Regina's desk while Dr. Whale fussed over him, listening to his heart for any irregularities and insisting he stop over at the hospital for some tests just to make sure there wasn't any lasting damage.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," said Emma as she walked over to him.

"It doesn't matter now," he said, looking around Emma to see where Regina was sitting on her knees beside her mother's body while some men draped a cloth over it. Regina hadn't moved from that spot since the medical team had arrived. As the men raised the stretcher to carry the body away, Regina sobbed into her hands.

"I'm fine," Archie insisted, pushing away Emma and Dr. Whale as they tried to keep him seated. He made his way to Regina who threw her arms around him and sobbed freely into his shoulder.

The only words he could get from her were, "I'm so glad you're okay," but he knew her pain had many layers.


	12. Chapter 12

Regina knocked on the door of the apartment. It had been three days after Cora's death, and she was still putting the pieces back together. Today was going to be a huge step in the right direction.

The door opened and Snow's face appeared in the gap.

"I'm here to pick up Henry," Regina told her.

"Mom!"

Snow swung the door open wider as Henry came running toward her and hugged her. Regina embraced him happily.

"You have your things?" she asked, still holding him.

"Yeah."

"Well, go get them."

He released her to run for his bag.

Regina straightened as Emma walked over to join Mary Margaret. "I'll have him back in time for dinner on Sunday," she said.

Emma nodded and smiled. "Enjoy your weekend."

Regina looked up at Snow who stood with her arms folded. She was leaning against the kitchen counter, looking off in the distance.

"Maybe … next week … we could get coffee sometime."

Snow unfolded her arms and smiled. "Sure," she said. "I'd like that."

Regina still held reservations about Snow, but she was trying to mend her broken relationships. And her relationship with Snow was going to take some work. Now was as good a time as any to start.

 

 

Regina took Henry out to the stables. Archie had encouraged her to try old hobbies, and she was nervous. But Henry was quite excited to learn how to ride, and she was hoping his enthusiasm might rub off on her.

Regina fixed the bridle over the horse's mouth. It surprised her how well she remembered everything, despite having not ridden in years. Henry hovered beside her, bouncing on his heels in anticipation while she explained her riding experiences as a young girl.

"Are you and Archie dating?" he asked suddenly.

"What? Who told you that?" she demanded.

"I overheard Emma and Mary Margaret talking," he said.

Regina sighed. She was tempted to be angry with Emma and Snow, but she knew how devious Henry could be when he was trying to find something. "Would you mind if we were?" she asked, still fixing the bridle.

"I think you'd be good for each other," he admitted.

Regina took some comfort in that thought. But things were complicated right now. And she didn't have any answers to give Henry.

And then, as though on cue, there were footsteps. Regina looked up to see Archie walking toward them. She felt a pang in her chest, uncertain how this conversation was going to go.

Henry held no reservations, however. He ran out to greet Archie, who embraced him.

"Hey, Henry!" he said, holding the boy tightly. "Do you mind if I talk with your mom for a second?"

"Sure!"

Henry went running back to Regina, who was making sure the horse was properly tied while she stepped away. She moved Henry to the edge of the stall and asked him to stay while she talked with Archie. The two of them walked a couple stalls over. Henry was still in sight, leaning against the stall door and kicking absentmindedly in the dirt, but hopefully he'd be out of earshot.

"I-I want to apologize," said Archie. "Had I realized I'd be taking time away from you and Henry, I wouldn't have-"

"It's all right," she told him.

He nodded and looked over at Henry before returning his gaze to her. "You've been avoiding me." He wasn't accusatory. It was just a statement, like he understood this was just something she did when she came under pressure.

"I killed my own mother," she told him. "I didn't think that was something a conscious would approve of."

"No," he said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "But you know I'm more complicated than that. And I don't think I'm one to be lecturing you on morality." He stepped closer to her. "I got involved with one of my patients - the Evil Queen on top of all of that, and all the terrible things that go with it."

"You never saw me as that," she said simply.

He shook his head. "Not when you started coming to see me. I saw another woman, one who wanted to be so much more than what she used to be." He stepped toward her and took her face into his hands. "And she was beautiful."

Regina smiled at him, but she stepped away and glanced over at Henry, who she saw had been watching them closely before turning back to kick at the dirt.

"I can't be your psychologist anymore."

She turned back to him. "What?"

"Ethically," he told her. "I can't continue to do it."

"But what if I need help?" she asked him. "What if I slip up or-?"

He gently laid his hands on her arms. "I will always be here to help you," he said. "But I have to choose between the two, and I think I can be there for you better as a boyfriend than a doctor."

She smiled at him. "You want to date me?"

He looked into her face, leaning toward her. "Someday, you are going to realize that no matter how far you run from me, I will always coming running after you, as long as you want me."

She sighed and let her forehead rest against his, giving into the warmth and comfort of his arms. She'd been worried the events of the past couple days had turned him against her, and it was clear to her now those worries had been unfounded. But she was still uncertain about a few things. "What about Henry?"

"I think he's rather fond of the idea, don't you?"

They turned to look at Henry, who quickly went back to acting like he wasn't watching.

She turned back him. "I can't give up magic," she said, voicing the last barrier she felt hung between them. It wasn't that she found it too hard to do so. It was just that she realized magic could be useful - as it had been the past few days. And she couldn't see herself refusing to use it in times when the situation called for it. It just wasn't practical.

"I don't believe magic is inherently evil," he told her. "It all depends on how it's used. And we can work on finding that balance together."

She smiled again, and then she kissed him because there was really nothing left to speak on. She let him wrap his arms around her, and she brought her hands around his neck to pull him closer, not minding at all if Henry was watching. And judging by the laughter she heard, he was.

She didn't pull away immediately, wanting to soak in the moment - the warmth of his arms, the passion of his kiss, and the most wonderful feeling spreading through her - a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"You have any reservations," she asked when they finally parted, their faces still close together. "About calling me your girlfriend around town?"

He shook his head, his nose brushing hers. "Not at all. People will warm up to you, and if they don't, we have each other."

She kissed him again, briefly. "Why don't you get a horse and join Henry and I out on the field?"

He smiled. "I'd love to."

She left him to join Henry. She didn't comment to the boy about the large grin on his face because she was wearing was one as well.

She helped Henry onto the horse and climbed on behind him. As she rode from the stall and turned to look at the spot she and Archie had been standing in, she recognized that feeling in her chest. And she knew she had fallen in love again, and she'd done so in the exact same spot Daniel had told her to give love another try.

The coming weeks and months wouldn't be easy. There was still a lot she needed to work on and figure out. But she had Archie and Henry, and they'd work through it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I entertained you, consider buying me a coffee: Ko-fi.com/heidirs
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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